A select audience of South Africa’s top Pinotage winemakers, wine experts and media attended the Pinotage Association’s new vintage tasting at the Landbougenootskap in Stellenbosch on Tuesday.

Representing diverse regions throughout the South African winelands, the wines were mostly still a work in progress, as most of the grapes had only been harvested four months ago.

Those present will agree that the overall quality of Pinotage has never been higher and most of the barrel and tank samples in the 14 wine line-up showed great potential.

Here are 5 wines from the 2013 Pinotage line-up, I believe impressed a bit more than the rest:

Alvi’s Drift Pinotage 2013

Origin: Worcester
Winemaker: Henk Swart
Tasting notes: Rasberry flavours on the nose. Well balanced wine, full of flavour.

Spier Pinotage 2013

Origin: Stellenbosch
Winemaker: Johan Jordaan
Tasting notes: Softly roasted vanilla pod flavours. Showing great elegance.

Marianne Pinotage 2013

Origin: Simonsberg in Stellenbosch
Winemaker: Francois  Haasbroek
Tasting notes: Distinctive nose. Out of the ordinary. Still young but showing great potential!

Simonsig Pinotage 2013

Origin: Stellenbosch (bush vine)
Winemaker: Debbie Thompson
Tasting notes: Full of character and flavour. One of the best out of the 14 wines in the line-up.

Wellington Pinotage 2013

Origin: WO Wellington
Winemaker: Pieter-Niel Rossouw
Tasting notes: Full berry fruit flavours. Juicy and tasty.

I look forward to encounter these 5 wines again in three or four years’ time!